Diet & Nutrition for Dancers

Dancers need energy to move, jump and spin. They can get that by following a healthy diet. When the body has a ready supply of nutrients, vitamins and minerals, dancers can perform at their peak because their bodies will have the energy they need and the ability to repair themselves.

Calories

• With all the working out that dancers do, they require a greater number of daily calories than a more sedentary person. Rough estimates are that female dancers need 45 to 50 calories per kilogram of bodyweight and male dancers need 50 to 55 calories per kilogram of bodyweight. If your body doesn't have enough calories, you won't have the energy you need to dance even if all the vitamins and nutrients are in balance.

Carbohydrates

• Carbohydrates are the body's energy source. A dancer's diet should be made up of 50 to 60 percent carbohydrates. During periods of heavy training or strenuous performances you can increase carbohydrates to 65 percent. They shouldn't come from simple carbohydrates like sugar but complex carbohydrate sources like cereal, pasta, breads and potatoes. One to three hours before working out or performing, dancers should have a meal that primarily consists of complex carbohydrates. During long rehearsals, dancers should take a break and consume a sports drink that will provide a proper balance of carbohydrates. Carbohydrates should also be consumed after a workout to replace the carbohydrates that have been used up.

Proteins

• The body uses protein to repair muscle tissue and build new tissue. It will help dancers strengthen their muscles so they can perform complicated dance moves. Protein should make up 12 to 15 percent of a dancer's diet. Get protein from lean meats, poultry, and beans and other legumes.

Fats

• Despite a dancer's fear of weight gain, fat is necessary in a dancer's diet. Fats help some of the organs function properly, help absorb some vitamins and act as a secondary energy source. Fats should make up 20 to 30 percent of a dancer's diet. Seek unsaturated fats rather than saturated. Avocadoes, nuts and seafood (such as salmon) provide the "good" fats you want in your diet.

Vitamins and Minerals

• Vitamins and minerals help your body function properly. For instance they help you use the energy from carbohydrates. Dancers should eat five servings of fruits and vegetables a day to provide a variety of the vitamins and minerals a body needs. Vitamins A, C and E are particularly useful in helping a dancer recover from a workout. For those vitamins and minerals that you might not get enough of in your regular diet, take a multi-vitamin daily.

Water

• Though it doesn't have vitamins, minerals, carbohydrates or anything else, water is necessary for a dancer. Water helps regulate body temperature, maintain circulation, keep salts and electrolytes in balance and remove wastes. Dancers will lose a lot of water through perspiration so they should drink water regularly throughout the day. Avoid sweetened water because it is absorbed more slowly and adds no nutritional value.